


the anticipation for the inevitable destruction of your heart

by houseofbees



Category: Spider-Man (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Angst, M/M, Pining, Unrequited Love, rated t for like 1 swear word
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:02:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23621278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/houseofbees/pseuds/houseofbees
Summary: For thirteen years, Harry Osborn has been in love with Peter Parker.For three years, Peter Parker has been in love with Gwen Stacy.
Relationships: Harry Osborn/Peter Parker
Comments: 11
Kudos: 62





	the anticipation for the inevitable destruction of your heart

The first time Harry saw Peter—four years old and playing on a little red swingset, attempting to climb the chains like, and he quotes, "Fwash and dose odder kids"—he knew, deep down, he was fucked. Well, at fives years old maybe he wouldn't put it exactly like that.

Peter was—god, he was perfect. He had the shiniest brown, almost black hair shining in the beaming sun. His front teeth had a gap between them and his canines were crooked and he was beautiful. When he invited Harry to play, somehow combining a thick Boston accent with peppered Spanish, he'd promptly accepted. And as Peter clung to the top of the swingset, red-faced and sweaty, he told Harry about how sand was just little rocks. Not even a minute later, Peter told him they could never, ever tell anyone else. It was their little secret.

The second time Harry saw Peter, it was after their parents had arranged a playdate. The two of them were just about to start kindergarten—at the same school no less—and Richard and Norman had decided hands-on, group learning would help prepare them for the horrors of learning to read.

Peter had gotten his first pair of glasses and Harry distinctly remembers how much he would stare at them. At how pretty Peter looked in them.

When Harry walked into an actual kindergarten for the first time, it didn't take long for the boys to start talking about their crushes. At Harry's turn, he only shrugged but stayed silent. Looking at Peter Parker, in his stupid round and thick glasses. Peter Parker, who had chosen a girl as his crush.

It was hard to keep track of how often Harry saw Peter after that. It seemed like every Saturday was movie night from then on, and every morning they got milkshakes from the coffee shop between their houses. But rest assured, every time Harry saw Peter, he fell a bit more in love.

Which is why when Peter proudly announced he was dating Gwen Stacy, Harry had to excuse himself before the hot tears stinging behind his eyes fell.

God, don't get him wrong, Gwen and Harry had been friends at Horizon. Or, at the very least, they weren't total strangers. In any case, Gwen was a nice girl. She had a bit of anger management issues and was stubborn and maybe a little too... _passionate_ in her beliefs, but she was a good person.

Just not a good person for Peter.

And, yeah, maybe Harry had the exact same issues and Peter had _pointed it out to him, how he and Gwen are so similar_ _,_ but still, he couldn't shake the feeling that he and Gwen just wouldn't work.

So now, hiding in an alleyway, a few blocks away from Peter's house, he forced his fist into the mouth as pitiful whimpers slipped past his lips. He tucked his legs close to his chest, trembling like a leaf.

The love of his life had started dating somebody else. Peter Parker, the boy he'd been in love with for thirteen years, had left him for a _girl_. Harry should've seen this coming. He should've known, because Peter was straight as a board and Harry was distinctly not and of course, of _course_ fate would have him fall sickly in love with someone who could never love him back.

He almost wished Peter would follow him, sneak up behind him like he always did and just wrap his arms around Harry. Say it was a joke, say Harry was overreacting. Yell at him, tell him off for his jealousy. Because then at least Harry would have a good excuse for his clenched fists and grinding teeth.

But no such comfort came.

And Harry cried.

\--

The first time Peter saw Gwen, he'd been left breathless. His heart leaped in his chest every time she so much as glanced at him, or just existed in the same room as him.

She was pretty. Like, _really_ , really pretty. The kind of pretty that left boys swooning left and right. And god forgive him, Peter couldn't help but fall for her. She was smart, gorgeous, and bad-ass. Who could ask for more, especially a hopeless romantic like Peter?

The second time Peter saw Gwen, they'd been paired up for a lab assignment. Gwen had been rather cold at first, but immediately warmed up once Peter managed to mix the chemical solution on the first try without blowing anything up.

Man, Gwen could talk. Even mention biochemistry around her and she could talk for hours upon hours. And Peter could listen for hours and hours, to the sound of her voice. Everything about her left Peter dizzy with feelings and emotions he should be used to—he's felt it for every single girl his age at some point—but it always swept him off his feet.

And of course, their meetings blurred together. Mostly, they'd just spend time in a lab, working together side-by-side, Peter's face blazing every time Gwen complimented him or brushed their shoulders together. Sometimes, though, they'd hang out together outside of school. They'd go to the library together, discussing their favorite books—Gwen like psychological horror and sci-fi, who knew? Or they'd stay at eachother's houses, playing Halo while stuffing their faces with pizza.

It was perfect. Peter felt himself fall further and further for this girl every day, and it was wonderful.

So when Gwen snuck into his room one night, pale and shaky, Peter had shot up, muscles tensed and ready to kill whoever made Gwen this way.

But there was no reason to worry. Gwen had given him a look, glanced down, and pressed her lips against his.

Peter panicked at first, brain promptly short-circuiting and body freezing in place. Gwen had pulled back, eyes wide.

She opened her mouth, probably to apologize, but Peter finally decided to process something and he brought her back in. Gwen's lips were soft and plump and tasted like candy. Peter couldn't get enough of it.

When they'd finally pulled away, breathing hard and staring into eachother's eyes, Gwen blurted out,

"Do you wanna go out with me?"

Peter accepted without hesitation.

Telling the rest of the group was nerve-wracking. It probably shouldn't be, right? Who got nervous to tell their friends they'd found a girlfriend? Not Peter, that's for sure.

Even so, just before Peter and Gwen left the kitchen to tell them, Gwen had pressed a gentle kiss to his lips and assured him there was nothing to worry about.

So Peter had strolled in and proudly proclaimed their newfound relationship.

Miles cheered, Anya cried, and Harry excused himself, mumbling something about a business meeting he'd forgotten to postpone. Something in Peter's chest twisted at that (catching a glimpse of Harry _crying?)_ , but he brushed it off and instead focused on the incoming bear-hug from Anya.

Everything was wonderful.

And Peter smiled.


End file.
